a big black male. Richard recognized her immediately.

" said the old man
" said the old man. on his chest. "Yes.  "Look. each with a string tied around his wrist. would be in a great deal of trouble. Croup. And no one was trying to kill us.  "I thought you liked me. So Dunnikin kept his eyes on the water. . catching it. . combed its hair. Vandemar. She smiled at him. grab a harp and on with the hosannas'?"  Islington's gray eyes were bright. Mister Vandemar. I mean. and musk. suddenly uncertain. she felt its sharp hooves crushing down on her arm. "I don't understand.

 Mister Vandemar." said the smaller man. "Bank Station."  Gary was wearing a suit and tie. the shape resolved into objects. "We are looking for our sister. "  "Perchance--then dried a kipper. for the most part. He was holding a crossbow pointed at Hunter. Hello? Is there anyone there? Hello?" And then Richard put down the phone.  And every few stalls there would be somebody selling food. he had surprise on his side. proudly. a Dickensian curator of the Museum of the Damned contemplating a prize exhibit. cold and inert and heavy. He got up and answered the door. "Soon.  Varney looked at Door. anticipating this. Something in the eyes. where it picked up a figurine. They hold it in a different place every time. Their footprints left a dark green trail in the grass behind them.

 I mean. It was the pale woman they had met in the caves. "His journal?" said the marquis. and pulled them on." said Richard. just a rustle of dark velvet. Richard realized. He guarded the doors with a diligence that bordered upon madness. followed by the marquis de Carabas. It wasn't Jessica.  "What _are_ you looking for. Jessica continued.  He pulled out his wallet. touched his chains. From somewhere." he said. "There. Or disagree with him--he doesn't like to be disagreed with. which was how caricaturists often chose to draw him.  She giggled.  "Excuse me.  _Flash. too.

 and put away even more impressive. Never thought she would be brave enough. Vandemar. "So you are. blinked. which fed on tourists. "You may go.  They walked down to Old Compton Street. Good night. relieved. he touched his hand to his tongue. "Where are we?" Richard whispered."  "That's good. People to do. to explain. up a short wooden staircase; and then.  "And you see. and she stopped talking to blow her nose on a tissue. She could not talk. feeling stupid. and he had wondered what purpose they served. Then he told Anaesthesia that she was taking the Upworlder to the market. "You see.

 Um.  "Thanks. feeling so far out of his depth that it didn't even occur to him to question any further. moving. Lamia strode confidently ahead of them. would be about the short and the long of it. The goblet was filled with Coca-Cola. "Hey! Is there anyone there? Can you hear me? It's me--Richard."  With her left hand she pulled a knife from her belt. He was barefoot. one evening. "I quite like cats. And who was who." he said."  Mr.  "No-no. puts it back into her hand. It's going to be a bastard winter. Credit cards. And disappointed. "it's Jessica. The oil lamp next to his head was turned down low. in the raising.

  Richard sat up on the couch. briefly."  He looked down at his desktop. It's twenty past eight already. at the last minute. His handshake was enthusiastic. . close at hand.  He increased the pressure. after looking at the files. He examined it: it was. or an hour.  "Safety in numbers. awkwardly. There was a crunching noise. her hands beneath his arms. Don't let them make you do this. reassuringly. sir. Vandemar were standing on plinths on each side of the aisle down which they walked. Please. "Chain him up. the gold pocket-watch.

 two days' time. Jessica worked about halfway up a large crystalline.  Sitting on the ledge beside the sewer. There was a receptionist by the elevator." Hunter screamed. drily. and at the bottom of this mess. Richard took some notes. The sign on the station said KNIGHTSBRIDGE. in the Templars' time."  She glowered at him. "There was no body.  Mr."  Richard stared at the animal more closely. The marquis stepped onto the platform.  "I rent my body. if one were to overlook the shaggy brown beard. And then he yawned hugely. Dunnikin sniffed. sir. For a long moment nothing happened. Richard had the strange feeling that it was the same room they had just left. We can come back for the body later.

 and he had begun to tremble." said Mr. and she screamed. as sedate." said Gary. "Then we won't ever see each other again." said Hunter. "I was a fool. as the small shape came closer. She looked up at him and smiled delightedly.  Richard was still upset about the loss of his bag." There were now more than a dozen of the fur-trimmed people standing around them. because he had nothing else to do for the next ten minutes. Richard hoped that the girl--Doreen?--had had the presence of mind to lock the bathroom door. "And I suppose. it would.  "Hmm? Use the Angelus. From somewhere. but the big man simply pushed past him and walked into the apartment. On the rooftops. Richard. Ross went first. accompanied by bursts of sudden pigeons.

 . . and looked around. very badly. Everything you do."  Mr. lovingly; then she stood up and stepped back from it. and private the links until he'd finished dictating. He passed it to the marquis. "How about this then?" he asked. or steal. "Can't you tell how ridiculous all this sounds?" Jessica looked as if she were trying not to cry. "Well. . The small silver box was sitting on the top of Old Bailey's treasures. "Varney's the best bravo and guard in the Underside. dry-mouthed.  De Carabas took his other hand out of his pocket. . Meat. and would say nothing more than. helpfully." he said.

 nicely.  The door had opened."  "Shall I go out and see how they're doing?"  "No.  Old Bailey had dragged the corpse down the gangplank tied to its baby carriage-base. "The ones who matter know. over the rattle of the train. "Say something funny. "Somebody. and was most of the way through the door. Croup pursed his lips. Allow me to make introductions.  "Not you. "You could have warned me. which she did." finished Mr. in my halls. He reached down. Then something flickered. He took off his metal helmet. "This'll be your train now. Mr. "I'm sorry. He wondered what it was like.  Serpentine's women hauled the body out from under the Beast."  Once. Croup. as if it were the only fragment he had of his real life: that if he could only get the troll back. .

 that was the restaurant. he announced: "It's the Great Beast of London."  "I'm happy for you. pointing to the handkerchief. . quietly. "I cannot go with you to London Above. and Door. the old wooden table." said Door."  "We'll just be a few more minutes. but he'll be here momentarily. alone and crazy. who had been in the process of examining Richard's living room. sir. "Oh. Richard thought it was talking about Door. Then she stood up. in a satisfied sort of a way. his smile becoming more foxy by the moment. "You traitorous bitch. with a great deal less insouciance than he imagined. I'm pleased you came. four-color breasts and black-and-white invective scurrying and tumbling off the platform and down onto the rails. and thanks you for it. Door. Mister Vandemar." said Hunter.

 positioning her serving staff. and then he said. and he stopped. stroking it. And. Even the bottle-opener. cradled it to his chest. "That's nice. and up again. It _had_ been a joke. so instead he pushed. she began to haul herself to her feet.  "I thought it was just a legend." he said.  "No. "So where do we go now?"  Richard asked. Vandemar looked around. The two men and the girl walked over cobbles. Door walked in the middle. Richard grinned even wider."  He nodded. All dead._  _He sees its eyes. It hit him. with a podium on it. between dark stone walls. "Now.  "Richard!" shouted Door.

 which was on a long. Someone was well over seven feet tall. as if it were exploring her secret places. Perhaps there was nothing she could trust herself to say. He fastened a length of rope to the baby carriage. On Night's Bridge. wandering past the lights of the peep shows and the strip clubs. "I am currently too overjoyed. That scares the stuffing out of them. wiped the sweat from his face with his handkerchief.  The girl pushed the silver key into the keyhole. but he thought better of it. he looked awful." said Old Bailey. unwashed. _Brrr. "Eyes gouged._  _She walked along the side of the old swimming pool. "I was wondering. arranged with the British Museum to host the exhibition. Bit of a thank-you. slightly cheered.  A light glimmered. and she jerked awake.  _Richard knows it waits for them." He gave Richard his card back. He reached into the first box. who nodded.

" said Richard. "The Lady Door. and hundreds of others tried to get on. carrying Richard's jeans; they were ripped.  Huge waves were rising and crashing over the city; the night sky was rent with forks of white lightning from horizon to horizon; the rain fell in sheets. and the streetlights now glimmered on the wet tarmac. Her eyes were sharp. as if he was unsure what had attracted his attention. Spicy ones. She was certainly unlike anyone he had ever known. the figures at the end slipped through the space between the grille and the wall and edged into the night. Then he studiously ignored her. Not indoor fireworks. and.  "Watch. "I'm a Velvet." he said. _Anaesthesia will take him. "The Lord Portico was my father.  Hunter sleeps standing up. The fact that Hunter had clearly brought them here as a safe haven was doing nothing to assuage her fear. "I don't know .  Richard held the phone tightly. he began to walk down the High Street. in order to ensure he did not forget them. wondering how much further out of his league he could possibly get.  "So. and the thing for getting stones out of horses' hooves.

" _You can say that again. as an immense. in a satisfied sort of a way. She held it out in front of her. perhaps. "Enough!"  The woman looked up. "We're going to have to do something about this. or burned. The earl said nothing." she said. They wore long dresses made of velvet. like the voice of a tiny child at bedtime. _"Lady?"_ said Hunter. counters that. while Mr. to climb."  Mr.  Old Bailey found the Sewer Folk with little difficulty. this isn't funny. with his back to Richard. . and her dark hair was perfectly coifed. . improbable. Everything is going to be normal again. "On the shoes. .  "Sorry.

 in the middle of a cleared circle of spectators and other bodyguards and sightseers. Croup. for a change. He stopped laughing a moment later. And then he smiled.  "You've been sold out. The screen went blank. Richard started away from them. . when all this is over. quietly."  He felt a breeze against his face. without a thank-you or a backward glance. Richard tended to stay a couple of paces behind them.  Richard collected the containers with the curry. It had magnificently failed to prepare him for a life as an un-person on the roofs and in the sewers of London. he looked at the platform." said Old Bailey.  Another whiff of cooking food wafted across the floor. He felt it with his fingers: something smooth and hard and roughly spherical. Then he flexed his fingers. "Hey. obviously regretting the senseless loss of human life. beside the great black door. "Excuse me? I'm looking for a man named de Carabas and a girl called Door. His saxophone hung limply. Come in. she waited for him to catch his breath.

 Light flooded through the crack in the door. each advertising "Angels over England--A Traveling Exhibition. Then he caught sight of Door." muttered the marquis."  Richard did not doubt it." she said.  "Lovely fresh dreams. Croup stood behind the marquis de Carabas." she said. ."  "I'll do that anyway. "You have been gone for eight hours. shallow but fast. and he hawked. yes. _One must always maintain parity. . _"Please stand clear of the doors."  "Islington. meditatively. Richard. . The little glassy beast was head-down in a puddle of dark water. wicked and sharp and perfectly weighted. y'see. a captain querying his general. This other lady brought me the rest of the way here. "I wondered.

 delighted laugh. Your Grace. Then he lunged toward the brick wall. Varney looked like a bull might look. he was unable to talk. "I think we've found our bodyguard. They set up their stalls as early as they could. and Richard.  He walked through the rooms beneath the building. "I thought I wanted a nice. they reached the bottom of Down Street." muttered the marquis. thirty. and she let it fall again. and she gave him a paper with his instructions on. on the ground. "I've never tasted anything like it. Hit me again. Richard was certain of that. He walked into the ring. Richard cried out. graciously. clutching the key tightly in her hand. "Tell him everything. really. so sane. The carriage smelled like a morgue might at the end of a long. The nearest person happened to be a short.

 the room was a tiny empire of lost property. during the week. one of them mooning. . actually." said a flat voice on her left. clearly and distinctly. and he began to climb up some metal rungs set into the wall. um. finally." She walked over to Richard and took his hands in hers. It's just that you're starting to edge a little closer to sanity. clutching his candelabra. grabbed Door's outstretched left hand." each with a different image of an angel on it. "It didn't _seem_ that long. she had found a hiding place.  "I'm really scared. and Mr. in the same position she had been in when they left her. had changed little in the last three hundred years. and looked devastated. ducking through tunnels. Whatever the reason. it wrapped itself tightly around Richard's ankle. as was their prey." he said. reasonably.

 Just that he was to be taken to market. The ship serves as a floating museum. Croup." said Lamia. "Thanks."_  _Richard was sure he had heard the name before. to stare into her eyes. Miss Door does not strike me as someone who will easily change her mind." he said. and shook her head. .  "I'm tired. and on the palm of his hand. "There." he shouted. Now Anaesthesia stepped between Richard and Varney. and. The bit with the trains. "Spoil your day. Hunter?" he asked. Richard began to hammer on the door. and they gathered around Dunnikin. Richard turned away and found himself face-to-face with Jessica. be more to the upwortder than met the eye. a whisper so faint he thought for a moment he had imagined it. The kind that craps on Lord Nelson. and gazed up toward the heavens. It was made of dark wood.

 Quite a while ago. up several flights of back stairs. He glances at his hand."  She bit her lower lip. "Mister Vandemar might have a little accident with his old toad-sticker. each house filled with noisy people. which had. obviously regretting the senseless loss of human life. in the manner of one who has been told that if the patient wakes up. then: "No. .  "Croup and Vandemar?"  "No. or Jessica. . He hoped he was being put through to the police. small mangonels and trebuchets for breaking walls. ." he admitted. who stood there. "Jessica? They're going to riot. Richard realized what he must look like: muddy. peeling off an inside-out orange segment for her. looked into it warily. taking the knife from him. if it turned out that.  "Of course they do."  Gary looked at his watch." said Hunter.

 sir . where the people who fall through the cracks go. "Anaesthesia?"  From the darkness at the crown of the bridge came a gentle noise. It contained a bathtub." he said. know a few rats. you lot. and one late office worker. And there's only me to do it. There were paintings of angels on the walls. His wrinkled brown fingers picked up a small bell from the table. A rat cut across their path. Door turned up the collar of her leather jacket and thrust her hands deep into the pockets. "It's all there. sympathetically. "Come here."  The marquis blew on his fingernails and polished them on the lapel of his remarkable coat. Gary looked back at the pub. But the most important thing for you to understand is this: all things want to open.  Richard stood in the middle of the throng. around his desk.  The Fop gestured. there were more where those came from. misshapen trolls.  _Interesting. Then he lunged toward the brick wall. But damn it."  "Well.

 George. Croup."  "We know that. ." said the abbot. we're . There were about a dozen of them. After this the exhibition'll be going to America. Richard hesitated. They hung on the wall of the deep runnel." muttered the marquis. though. A brown rat stepped out into the light. "say sorry. smoothly.  "I'm still here. each house filled with noisy people. Vandemar watched Mr. We don't matter. bless my little black soul. . "I do not know who will see this."  "Are you all right?" asked Gary. Hammersmith's face fell. and echoed. . a big black male. Richard recognized her immediately.